Welcome to the home of the N.E.P.G.A. on the world-wide-web! The New England Pumpkin Grower's
Association was formed in Willington, Massachusetts back in 1989. The mission of this organization
is to encourage and promote the growing of giant pumpkins.

01/28/2001 - New Directors Elected!
The three new N.E.P.G.A. assistant directors were announced at the annual winter dinner. Joining Hugh Wiberg and Wayne Hackney as representatives of the organization are Dave Hampton, George Hoomis and Jim Kuhn. Congratualations to all! More details and a photo to follow in the March 2002 newsletter.

Past Events

2001 - Topsfield, MA Results
Results from the 2001 weigh-off, Including the new World Record!!!
Created on 9/30/2001 ----- Last updated on 9/30/2001

2004 NHGPGA/NEPGA Summer Picnic
The 2004 NHGPGA/NEPGA Summer Picnic was again hosted by the Beauchemin's in Goffstown, NH.
Created on 9/22/2004 ----- Last updated on 9/22/2004

Bugs Borers and Beetles By Wayne Hackney
The year 2000 pumpkin season is almost upon us, so this is an appropriate time to revisit the subject of insect control. The three most common pumpkin predators are the cucumber beetle, the squash bug and the squash vine borer.
Created on 5/4/2000 ----- Last updated on 5/4/2000

Starting Seeds by Jack LaRue
Most of you have spent a good deal of the past fall and winter getting your ground ready for planting. You may have spent weeks conditioning your soil with leaves, manure, and mineral additives. Now it is time to plant your favorite seeds, the same seeds you have spent hours trying to select. You want them to germinate and produce that giant pumpkin. So how do I get them started?
Created on 3/1/1998 ----- Last updated on 3/23/2000

A Short Essay on Soil pH By Hugh Wiberg
As I converse with pumpkin growers from all over New England, I get the feeling that a surprisingly high percentage of our members have not tested their pumpkin patch's pH for more than two years, and in many cases, even longer.
Created on 3/1/1997 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Don't Be a Riverboat Gambler With Your Seeds! By Wayne Hackney
"Growers who only plant seeds from 800 and 900 pound pumpkins are no better than riverboat gamblers," according to Don Fleming. There are many gambles when it comes to growing giant pumpkins. Weather, disease, splits, and seed selection are just four of the many gambles that a grower must take. It is important to minimize the amount of gambles that you take. One of the first chances that a grower takes is the selection of seeds. How can you increase your odds of success? Lets take a look.
Created on 3/1/1996 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Organic Methods for Squashing the Vine Borer By Paul Hollings, Medford, MA
There is no more evil insect in New England than the squash vine borer, dasher of dreams of pumpkin growers throughout the region. Absent a great amount of effort on your part, vine borers are almost certain to weaken or kill your pumpkin plant long before a championship pumpkin can be grown.
Created on 3/1/1996 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Woodchucks and Squash Vine Borers By Hugh Wiberg
It is said that for every creature on this earth there is a purpose. Someday, maybe, someone will explain to me the "purpose" of woodchucks, mosquitoes, black flies, squirrels (the bane of everyone who feeds birds) and squash vine borers.
Created on 3/1/1996 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Calcium and Giant Pumpkins By Wayne Hackney
Calcium is an extremely important element for growing giant pumpkins. Calcium ions attach themselves to clay and humus particles in the soil and help make other essential elements available to your plant.
Created on 3/1/1995 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Reflections From Topsfield 1994 By Don Langevin
I still feel numb the day after, and I suspect that anyone who witnessed the All New England Giant Pumpkin Championship at Topsfield Fair yesterday feels likewise. The day seemed punctuated by astonishing visions, profound emotions and the reassurance that God has a hand even in the sport of giant pumpkin growing.
Created on 12/1/1994 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

The Storage and Handling of Your Giant Pumpkin by Wayne Hackney
Just about every seasoned grower has a number of "fish that got away" stories concerning their best pumpkins of years gone by. Unfortunately, some pumpkins seem destined to go down and no matter what you do, the tide cannot be turned. Now let's look at the brighter side. There are things you can do to keep your pumpkin in good shape.
Created on 9/1/1994 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

10 Mid-Season Tips by Wayne Hackney
Check out Wayne's Top 10 Mid-Season Tips for growers of Dill's Atlantic Giant Pumpkins.
Created on 6/1/1994 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Pollination of the Atlantic Giant by Wayne Hackney
Pollination can occur in three different ways with Dill's Atlantic Giant pumpkins. Cross-pollination
happens when a bee or a grower deposits pollen from a male flower onto a female flower of a different
plant. Self-pollination is possible, since each plant has both male and female flowers to pollinate
itself. Open-pollination is generally what occurs in a large field when bees are allowed to visit freely
from one plant to another, resulting in a mixture of cross-and self-pollination.
Created on 6/1/1993 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000

Estimating Final Pumpkin Size During the Growing Season by Joel Holland
As the 1992 season progressed, I became interested in the possibility of estimating the final size of my growing pumpkins using the data I had collected over the last two years. During 1990 and 1991 I had kept careful records or the size of all of my best pumpkins in various stages of growth using the "Over the Top + Circumference Method."
Created on 6/1/1993 ----- Last updated on 3/19/2000